27. 05. 2013

EU AGAINST THE ABOLITION OF THE TV SUBSCRIPTION FEE

Belgrade, May 27, 2013 (Danas) - The EU is displeased with the announcements of the Serbian leaders to abolish the TV subscription fee for RTS and RTV, daily Danas has discovered.

According to sources from diplomatic circles, the EU officials are concerned over the insistence of the representatives of the "ruling coalition to unconditionally abolish the TV subscription fee for public service broadcasters and to start with the direct budget financing of the RTS and RTV", given the economic situation in which Serbia currently is, and especially when it is almost impossible to provide the funds for their independent functioning.

One of the main EU complaints refers to the fact that "it is not clear why would the state voluntarily give up on the still significant sum which 30% of the Serbian population is already paying".  The same source explained, "instead of organizing a campaign to increase the collection rate of TV subscription fee, politicians almost deliberately want to reduce public services income with their declarations. This raises doubts that the ultimate goal of this measure is not the relief of citizens, since they would continue to finance public services even through the budget, but rather in the control over the editorial policies of public service broadcasters".